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From: bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Accuracy of M203? (was Re: Small Arms)
Message-ID: <1991Mar15.040601.10310@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 15 Mar 91 04:06:01 GMT
References: <1991Mar4.212601.9682@cbnews.att.com> <1991Mar14.040807.28534@cbnews.att.com>
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From: bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt)

> From: mtxinu!Ingres.COM!daveb@uunet.UU.NET (Dave Brower)
> If the thing fires ~400m with an arced trajectory, what kind of accuracy
> can the grenadier have firing it hand-held?  You'd think it would take a
> few shots just to find the range, or a hell of a lot of practice with
> dummy rounds.  (Is this a case of "close only counts in horseshoes and
> hand-grenades"?)

  Surprisingly fairly accurate - with a little Kentucky windage and elevation.
  A good 'grenadier' with lots of practice - can plop that round - pretty
  close to his target - with a 5meter bursting radius - "close" counts.

> Do mortars exist anymore?  Are they deployed in artillery units or
> somewhere else?

 Sure do - company commander's hip pocket artillery.  Each Rifle Company
 has three 81mm mortars - and each Battalion has four 4.2inch Hvy Mort Plat. 
 (called "four deuce") mortars (someone check my current MTO&E structure).
 In mech/arm units they are carried in M106A2 (modified M113s) Mortar Carriers.
 Mortar crew are infantry - not artillerymen.  They are 11C indirect-fire
 crewmen.  (I don't remember if a Tank Battalion has a 4.2 Section or not).

 In light infantry companies - the new M224 60mm Lightweight Company Mortar
 is replacing the current 81mm.  Max range of 3,500 meters and rate of fire
 of 15 rounds per minute.

 The M29A1 81mm Mortar has a range of 5,650 meters with max rate of fire at 30 
 rounds per minute.

 The M30 4.2in Mortar has a range of 6,840 meters.

 The new 120mm M120 Battalion Mortar System will replace the 4.2 and has
 a range of 7,200 meters.  The BMS-120 contractor is Martin-Marietta
 Ordnance system.  The sub-contract manufacturers are Israel's Soltam, Ltd
 and Israel Military Industries.  In October '84 the Army Chief of Staff
 directed an accelerated acquisition of an "off-the-shelf" foreign system. 

 mike schmitt